Ways and Means to meet privately

House Ways and Means Committee members of both parties will hold a rare private meeting Thursday to discuss the mess of tax provisions expiring at the end of the year, several sources told POLITICO.

It’s the biggest issue facing Congress right now: the Dec. 31 expiration of all income tax rates, unemployment benefits and the payroll tax holiday. Ways and Means - chaired by Michigan Rep. Dave Camp - is ground zero for this fight.

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The meeting’s agenda, as described by several sources, is broad and focuses on outstanding committee business.

It’s unusual for Democrats and Republicans to come together to discuss policy issues, but the committee is on a bipartisan kick of late. The full Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to hold a joint hearing with the Democratic-led Senate Finance Committee Thursday to discuss capital gains taxes.

Tax rates are only one part of a complex set of issues that Congress will have to deal with at the end of the year. Legislative items including Medicare payments to physicians - also known as the “doc fix” - as well as automatic cuts to defense and domestic programs and raising the nation’s statutory borrowing cap will also be debated after the Nov. 6 election.